Air-tight insulation is standard for almost every home in the United States. According to the Department of Energy, keeping the movement of air between the inside and outside of your home to a minimum helps sustain greater energy efficiency. This means that your home should be airtight. However, without a proper whole-house air purifier, this leads to stale, musty air filled with dust, dander, and all sorts of other contaminants.
At R.A. Dobson, we help maintain indoor air quality through HVAC repair, installation, and maintenance services. Particularly during this challenging pandemic, we have assisted in keeping numerous homes safe with our expert air purifier installation services in Loudoun County and throughout Northern Virginia. Our experts have had over 40 years of experience in giving their knowledge, experience, and friendly support to our new and repeat customers.
Below, we discuss what a whole-house air purifier is, why you may need one, and the different kinds available that your home may benefit from:
What is a Whole-House Air Purifier?
A whole-house air purifier is an air-filtration system that’s connected directly to your home’s HVAC system. They can be retrofitted or installed into a newly-built house, but it must be installed by a professional because it attaches to the return-air ductwork in your ventilation system.
It works by taking the air that’s returning to your cooling or heating system and filtering out any contaminants before sending air back out into your home. There are different types of whole-house air purifiers that use different methods to effectively purify your home’s indoor air.
Below, we list a few that we provide at R.A. Dobson and can install efficiently.
Types of Whole-House Air Purifiers
Flat-Filter Purifier
If you have a forced-air furnace, which is common in most homes, you may already be using this type of air purifier. It uses a matted-fiberglass filter that picks up the dust flowing in your ventilation system.
It doesn’t purify the air as effectively as others do. It merely filters large dust particles from building up in your furnace. However, you can purchase electrostatically-charged pleated filters, which can attract more allergens in the air, though they cost slightly more than the regular filters.
Extended Media Purifier
This type of air purifier has a filter that’s more efficient than regular fiberglass filters. It comes in a boxier unit containing an accordion-like array of filtration media. It’s larger size and shape make it more effective. It also requires a professional to install and is perhaps cheaper to use as you only have to spend $40 to $60 a year for a replacement filter.
Electronic Purifier
This high-end air purifier, also known as an electrostatic precipitator, has an electronic filter that is installed into the return-air ductwork. As air passes, one end creates a high-voltage current that sends an electrical charge through any particle that passes through it.
At the other end, negatively-charged collector plates grab the charged particles. They may be more expensive but are highly effective at trapping particles too small for regular fiberglass filters and extended media filters. They also don’t require any replacement filters, just regular cleaning of the collection plates.
Ultraviolet Purifier
This type of purifier is specifically-utilized to filter and eliminate any airborne viruses or bacteria that pass through it. It’s primarily used in hospitals, particularly in tuberculosis wards in order to protect patients from spreading the illness. Any viral or bacterial organism that enters the filter will immediately be killed by the UV rays. Of course, these are similarly more costly compared to electronic purifiers, but means they are just as effective.
Does Your Home Need a Whole-House Air Purifier?
According to a report from the Washington Post, whole-home air purifiers are not a cure to allergies and illness. However, they are a good way to effectively prevent these issues.
They also provide your home with better indoor air quality, which has numerous benefits to you and your home, including fewer, less frequent allergy symptoms, better sleep, reduced humidity, and lower energy costs.
To make a well-informed decision, consider seeking a professional to perform an indoor air evaluation for your home, and discuss with them whether an air purifier can help.
R.A. Dobson: Affordable Air Purifier Installation in Loudoun County, VA
Whether you need an air purifier is debatable, but it is no less a beneficial addition to a ventilation system. At R.A. Dobson, we can provide many brands and models of air purifiers, as well as quality air purifier installation services, all at affordable prices. In Loudoun County and throughout Northern Virginia, we have provided our numerous services to residents seeking to improve the comfort and quality of their indoor air.
Contact us at (703) 481-3700 to learn more about our services and schedule an appointment with one of our indoor air experts today.